


Memories of the Son

by In_Much_Stress



Series: Sorrowful Regrets [3]
Category: Hollow Knight (Video Games)
Genre: Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-15
Updated: 2019-11-15
Packaged: 2021-01-31 11:31:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,112
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21445522
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/In_Much_Stress/pseuds/In_Much_Stress
Summary: “I miss him,” he admits, “Very much.”
Series: Sorrowful Regrets [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1485194
Comments: 4
Kudos: 87





	Memories of the Son

It is fascinating to watch her brother—Howl preferred to be referred as a man—use his hands to create things. His dexterity is unmatched as he expertly puts together their dinner. Not in a million years Hornet ever thought she'd see The Hollow Knight himself in a kitchen, humming with the voice given to him by the Void, skillfully moving around as if in a well known old dance. Yet here he is. He has to slouch a bit to fit under the roof, but doesn't seem to mind. It had take them some time to find a house that fits him, and the best they could find was a quite small house in the City of Tears. They share the only bedroom, and Howl surprisingly takes little space. It is a temporary fix, just until the White Palace is rebuilt again and they move there with their other siblings, whose masks should be ready by then.

"How did you learn to cook?"

"Watching."

"I thought you always followed the Wyrm?" Hornet had learned that her brother doesn't take kindly to his father being bad mouthed, so in his presence, she refers to the old King as Wyrm. Not disrespectful, but considering how she says it, definitely not amiable. Technically, just his “name”.

"Precisely."

"Are you telling me that old worm could _ cook?!" _

Howl laughs, shoulders shaking and his head lolled back. He doesn't seem to mind her not so nice way of addressing his beloved father, and the girl makes sure to take note of that. The voice given to him is a bit raspy, making him sound like he's purring. It is a nice laugh.

"Father was very skillful with his hands. I am most likely biased, but it is my firm belief he could do anything."

Hornet had noticed that the more used Howl gets to his voice, the more his way of talking changes. He sounds regal, like royalty, yet he still speaks simply enough to be understood by anyone. She likes the way he speaks. And she's fully aware he probably got that from the King. Sometimes she wonders if she could have ever seen her father the way her brother does.

Each story told by Howl makes her vision of the Pale King change. Where before she saw a ruthless and selfish man, she now sees a King who cared deeply for his people and had been willing to do anything for them. Some part of her tells her she would've liked him had she spent enough time with him. Hell, maybe even the Little Ghost would've liked him, with their tendency of befriending everyone.

"Can you tell me more?" The spider princess asks, finally giving in to her curiosity, "About… our father."

Delight rushes through her brother's body. His mask is unmoving as always, but she can see how he perks up and beams. Not only she had actually asked about the King, one of his favorite subjects to talk about, but she called him  _ their father. _ She recognized him as  _ her father _ . If the knight could smile, Hornet is sure she'd be blinded by his smile by now.

"Father was a curious man," he estates, stirring the food still, "I remember mother saying, multiple times in fact, that were not for his kingly duties, he'd go around Hallownest, poking every rock or bug he could find. She said it was the reason he and Monomon got along so well. I can testify to that. Once, father discovered a new plant from Greenpath and, true to mother's words, poked it. He would have lost his hand hadn't he jumped back in time."

"You're joking."

“I am not. He barely avoided having his hand eaten by the plant, jumping far away, and I do mean literally. He immediately took providences to warn the citizens and to relocate the flowers far away from the cities. He didn’t want to destroy the species, but he also didn’t want the people in danger.”

Hornet chuckles.

“What else?”

“Father could do anything with his hands, but he was terrible with his feet. He could fight just fine, but dancing was his nightmare. Mother knew it, and it was her absolute pleasure to ask him to dances, knowing he could never deny her.”

He is silent for a few moments.

“Howl?”

“He danced with me sometimes, but only when I was asleep. As a Vessel, there isn’t no real need for me to sleep, and that is true to all our siblings, but we are capable of simulating it. Technically, we enter a state of “semi awareness”, where our body and mind relaxes, but our conscience still works. Father had no idea, though, truly thinking even Void creatures needed rest from time to time, and I admit to never telling him. I just never wanted the dances to stop. He’d hold me close and sway and twirl gently…” He sighs with nostalgia, “When I started getting too big to be carried, he started to simply sit by my side, pull my head to his lap and hum some old tune.”

“... He sounds very caring.”

“He was. Had he had the chance, I’m sure he would’ve spoiled you rotten with affection. Of course, as the King, he did all of that either away from people’s eyes or when Mother, and only Mother, was there. He also never touched me when I was “awaken” unless he was directing me somewhere or training me, though many times I caught him with his hand in mid air, ready to pat my head.”

More silence. Holw stops his movements, staring blankly at his hands. Hornet feels a bit bad for bringing back hurtful memories, and tries to think of something,  _ anything _ , to say to him, but words escape her. She was never very good with them to start with. Luckily, her brother starts talking again.

“I miss him,” he admits, “Very much.”

“... He’d be proud of you.”

“I failed.”

“You both did, yet you both took the consequences head on and tried to minimize the damage. You’re quite similar.”

Howl cannot smile thanks to the mask, but Hornet doesn’t need to see him smile to know he is smiling, definitely liking being compared by the one he admired and still admires. It is nice. It is a nice feeling to make her usually quiet brother "smile" and laugh and talk so much. Hornet wonders if he’d do it more if their father were with them. And Little Ghost, they seemed to like light hearted moments.

“He’d be proud of you.” She repeats for good measure.

She is proud of him too. Of both of them.


End file.
